Printers have been equipped with cutting devices so that a printed media can be cut at the end of the printing operation without removing the media from the printer. A typical system involves passing a rotary or fixed cutting blade across the media after the printing operation has been completed. Examples of these systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,363,123, 5,881,624, 5,296,872, and 5,882,128. These systems are designed to cut along a straight line across the media after the printing operation. However, if a user wishes to cut a line that is curved or angular, or cut out a closed shape from the media, these systems are inadequate. The user must cut the media in a separate operation after removing the media. U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,061 discloses system for printing upon removable portions of a two-dimensional media sheet. The removable portions are removed after printing and folded into three-dimensional shapes. This system, however, requires that the media be first scored or perforated before it is inserted into the printer, so that the removable portions can be removed from the media after printing.
What the prior-art systems lack is a means integrated with the printer that allows complex shapes to be cut or scored into the media as part of the printing operation.